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Eisenhower Dance Ensemble
Selected Quotes and Reviews
"Danced with panache...succeeds from beginning to end." - Dance Magazine
"No-nonsense moves from the Midwest... would be a pleasure to see them again.." - New York Times
"Dance that touches the soul" - Detroit Free Press
"Excellent...dramatic...structural suavity" - Los Angeles Times
"....dance that beckons with a blend of virtuosity and sly humor." - Dance Magazine
"...an altogether satisfying evening." - Ann Arbor News
"funny and touching," - New York Times
"Stunning." - Holland Sentinel
"the dancers...had the back row eating out of their hands." - Detroit Free Press
"Charismatic and artistic emotional execution and an extraordinarily high degree of technical precision..."
Dance Magazine
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"The choreography was imaginative and interesting" - Oceana's Herald-Journal
"Intelligently crafted repertoire" - Dance Magazine
"A finely interwoven company" - Beverly Hills (CA) Outlook
"The dancers showed off their considerable technique and Eisenhower her fine command of choreography..."
-Detroit News
"The athletic skill and synchronized execution of the seven young dancers mesmerized the audience."
- Oceana's Herald-Journal
"The performance was exhilarating and fun" - Muskegon Chronicle
"Michigan's premier modern dance company..."
Hour Magazine
"Metro Detroit has been the home of dozens of dance companies in the last 40 years. But none of them was able to achieve
the sort of balance that Eisenhower has..." - Detroit Free Press
"Also inventive was Eisenhower's 'Hey'....This is a personality piece, and it works well, with endings that leave you
surprised." - Buffalo News
"The variety was balanced and kept the attention of the audience." - Oceana's Herald-Journal
"Eisenhower provided the framework for what turned out to be an electrifying dance experience. The dancing was filled with
charismatic and artistic emotional execution and an extraordinarily high degree of technical precision. The music was
diverse, inspiring and tastefully selected. The combination of excellent music, choreography and dance held my undivided
attention from curtain to curtain......Pushing the envelope of modern dance creativity and innovation to new limits, Ms.
Eisenhower and Co. are clearly on the cutting edge. The genuine article. Highly recommended. - Dancer Magazine
Eisenhower Dance Ensemble Programs Include:
Repertory Evening: Selections from EDE's varied contemporary dance repertory.
Acclaimed programs have included works by choreographers Laurie Eisenhower, David
Parsons, Stephen Koester, Mel Wong, Pascal Rioult, Mark Dendy, Douglas Nielsen,
Bill Evans, Lila York, Demetrius Klein, Colin Connor and Billy Siegenfeld, among
others.
"A Soldier's Tale":
Multi-media work choreographed by Bill DeYoung to Stravinsky's "A Soldier's Tale",
with live musical accompaniment by Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings.
"Laugh Tracks":
Ingenious blending of comedy and contemporary dance, featuring inventive and
humorous choreography from Laurie Eisenhower.
"Motown in Motion":
A visual salute to the tunes that made Motown Records famous. Includes live music
from the legendary Motown group, The Contours featuring Sylvester Potts, and
dance vignettes performed by EDE, with The Contours and to recordings from other top
Motown artists.
"Kids 'n Motion":
Inspires students of all ages about learning, creating and enjoying dance.
Includes narration, audience participation and repertory excerpts in many styles of
dance.
Bios
Laurie Eisenhower, founder and artistic director of Eisenhower Dance Ensemble, was born in Merced, California and raised
in Scottsdale, Arizona. She received her BA and MFA degrees in Dance from Arizona State University. In the early years of
her career, she performed with various dance companies and choreographers, most notably, Chen and Dancers, Pilobolus
Dance Theatre, David Parsons, Harry Streep III, and Mel Wong.
Ms. Eisenhower began setting her work on professional dancers in
1981 and has had her choreography performed by the companies of
Desert Dance Theatre and Semaphor Dance Works of Phoenix,
Harbinger Dance Company and More Dance Company of Detroit,
Baker's Half Dozen in New York, Two Rivers Dance Company of
Illinois, Local Motion in Oklahoma, and numerous college and
university dance companies.
In 1991, Ms. Eisenhower formed the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble,
which, with the help of committed and talented dancers, has
become one of the finest professional contemporary dance
companies in the Midwest. Since the founding of EDE, the company
has grown from a small ensemble of four dancers on a pay-perperformance basis to the current company with an extensive
schedule of rehearsals, performances and national touring. In 1997,
Ms. Eisenhower was invited to teach, perform, and choreograph for
the Pushkin Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia and, in 1999, made a
very successful New York City debut with EDE at Dance Theatre
Workshop. She has created over 100 dances and has received
frequent grants and awards for her choreography, including three
Creative Artist grants from Michigan arts foundations, the Michigan Dance Association Choreographers Festival Award, and
the Women in Art Award for Choreography. In 2003, Ms. Eisenhower received the prestigious ArtServe Michigan Governor’s
Award for Arts and Culture in a ceremony with Governor Granholm at Detroit’s Orchestra Hall.
Ms. Eisenhower is also well known for her teaching and is a Full Professor of Dance at Oakland University in Rochester,
Michigan. In 1997 and 2004, she received the Faculty Recognition Award for her outstanding contributions in the field of
dance.
Stephanie Pizzo, Associate Artistic Director, is a native of Clinton Township, Michigan where she began her training
with Orchid Diane and Denise Boucke and continued with Evelyn Kreason. She danced with the Michigan Ballet
Theatre as a corps and principal dancer, Oakland Dance Theater and Harbinger Dance Company. She graduated with
a BA with an emphasis in Dance from Oakland University. As a student, she received the Jacob S. Decker Award for
outstanding dancer and a scholarship from the American College Dance Festival to study with the Ririe Woodbury Dance
Company in Utah. Ms. Pizzo teaches EDE company class, rehearses the company, and choreographs. She has staged
works by Laurie Eisenhower on numerous companies including Desert Dance Theatre, Scottsdale Community College,
Collin County Community College and Alma College. Ms. Pizzo teaches ballet the EDE Center for Dance. She is a founding
member of Eisenhower Dance Ensemble.
Dancers
Carissa Wong, born in Stockton, California, began dancing with Dance Connection and Hot Shoe Dance
Company. She continued her training as a scholarship student at the University of Arizona, receiving a BFA in
dance and a business minor in 2002. Besides graduating summa cum laude, she was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi
honor society and received the Outstanding Senior Award from the dance department. During her time in Arizona,
Ms. Wong performed works by Amy Ernst, Sam Watson, Michael Williams, Susan Quinn, Nina Janik and Paul
Taylor. She has also received dance scholarships to study with Retter Dance Academy, Summer Dance Labs,
Gus Giordano, John Malashock and Jean Isaacs. She has taught and choreographed in California, Australia, and
throughout Michigan. In 2004, Ms. Wong performed Pearl Fishers with Michigan Opera Theatre. She currently
teaches classes in tap, jazz, ballet, modern, hip hop, and yoga.
Mary Bischoff began training with the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble as a high school student where she received
her first opportunity to perform alongside the Company. Since then, she has obtained her Bachelor's degree in
dance from Oakland University where she was the recipient of the Jacob S. Decker award for outstanding
achievement in dance. Ms. Bischoff has danced with Oakland Dance Theatre and the OU Repertory Dance
Company. She has also appeared as a guest dancer and apprentice with the Eisenhower Dance Ensemble. She has
performed works by Jan Erkert, Giselle Mason and Li Chao Ping among others. Ms. Bischoff has trained figure skaters and
gymnasts and begins her fourth year on staff at the EDE Center for Dance.
Ann Chiaverini, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, received her BFA in Dance from the Joffrey Ballet
School/New School University in New York City in 2002. Remaining in New York following her graduation, she had the
pleasure of working with Edisa Weeks/Delirious Dance Company, Nancy Meehan Dance Company, and
choreographer Stephan Koplowitz. Ms. Chiaverini also served for three years as a teaching artist and administrative
coordinator for American Ballet Theatre's education programs. She is currently her second year teaching at the EDE Center
for Dance.
Patty Foster from Atlanta, Georgia began her performing career with The Georgia Ballet while attending the University
of Georgia on full academic scholarship. She also performed with the Atlanta-based jazz and modern companies, Kris
Cangelosi Dance Project and Ondine. Ms. Foster continued her education at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia
on scholarship where she graduated with honors with a BFA in modern dance performance and received the “Best
Performance in All Dance Forms” award. While at U of A, she was honored to work with choreographers such as Milton
Myers and Roni Koresh. After graduation, Ms. Foster performed with the Philadelphia-based aerial, prop, and stunt-rooted
company JUNK under the direction of Brian Sanders. She has also taught ballet and jazz at the University of Pennsylvania
and Koresh Dance Center.
Chivas Merchant-Buckman graduated with a BFA from Marymount Manhattan College where he performed works by
Robert Battle, Jose Limon, Jiri Kylian, Chris D’Amboise, and Charlotte Griffin. He was a member of the Marymount
Manhattan College Dance Company for four years.
Aaron Perlstein, born and raised in San Francisco, began his dance training at Humboldt State University in Arcata,
California with Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) alumna, Heather Sorter, and Jose Limon alumna, Jandy Bergman. His
training as a professional division student includes Alonzo King’s LINES Contemporary Ballet (San Francisco), Alvin
Ailey American Dance Theater (New York), Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company (Salt Lake City) and most recently the school
of Jacobs Pillow (Beckett, MA) under the direction of world-renowned Horton teacher, Milton Myers. Mr. Perlstein has
performed works by such noted choreographers as Alonzo King, Judith Jamison, Janice Garrett, Robert Moses, Jacqulyn
Buglisi, Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and Andrea Flores. Professional credits include two seasons as a principal with
Astrum Dance Theater (Arcata, CA), and guest soloist with the Redwood Concert Ballet (Eureka, CA) and the Humboldt
Light Opera Company (Eureka, CA).
EDE Technical Directors and Costume Designers
George Hommowun, Lighting Designer and Technical Director, begins his fifth season designing for EDE. Mr. Hommowun
currently serves as the Performing Arts Director for Lowell Area Schools near Grand Rapids, Michigan. His most recent
credits there include lighting and set designs for local productions of “Pirates of Penzance, “Grease” and “The Skin of Your
Teeth.” Before moving to Lowell, Mr. Hommowun was the Technical Director for the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts
where he worked for 14 years as the Assistant Technical Director and Lighting Designer. His design credits at the Macomb
Center include creating the lighting for touring acts such as John Tesh, Roy Clark, and other solo performers, the annual
Macomb Community College Show Choir Workshop, and over 40 Drama Department productions including "Gorey Stories",
"Death of a Salesman", and "King John.” Further lighting design credit includes work for the Macomb Ballet Company’s
productions of "Cinderella", "Sleeping Beauty", "Peter and the Wolf", and "Coppelia." He has coordinated all technical
aspects of over 30 children’s productions for two other local groups, the Macomb Junior Players and All The World’s A Stage
including productions of "James and the Giant Peach", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", and "Rapunzel". Mr.
Hommowun’s first design project occurred during graduate school while lighting the annual production for the American
University’s Modern Dance Program.
Kerro Knox 3, Lighting Designer and Technical Director, is head of theatre design for OU’s Department of Music, Theatre
and Dance where he has designed sets, costumes and/or lights for many theatre productions over the past eight years as
well as the Oakland Dance Theatre. Designs for EDE include The Land of Nod. He is the resident designer for Patterson
Rhythm Pace and Nadanta, and has designed the lighting for several shows at Meadow Brook Theatre. His work has also
appeared at Syracuse Stage, the Hartford Stage, the Cleveland Playhouse and the Yale Repertory Theatre, and Greece,
among other places. Both his BA and MFA are from Yale.
Leslie Littell, Costumer and Designer, begins her 7th season with Eisenhower Dance Ensemble. She holds a BS in Design
from the University of Cincinnati and a MA in History from Rutgers University and teaches part-time at Oakland University for
the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance as a Costume Specialist. Her work is seen locally on the Plowshares,
Meadowbrook Theatre, and OU stages. Originally from New Jersey, she has also designed for Garden State Ballet and
Montclair State University, among others. Ms. Littell runs Ashbridge Studio, a full service costume studio that creates for
reenactment, skating competition, and theme weddings. She looks forward to another sparkling season!
M.E. Cameron-Scott, Motown in Motion designer, has been designing and fabricating clothing and costumes for over 40
years. She attended Acadamy Nvart, a small school of couture in Detroit in the early 1970's. Since then, she has designed
custom bridal, sportswear lines, and dance costumes. Since she is not a dancer, Ms. Scott expresses her passion for
contemporary dance through costuming.
Contact: S.C. Entertainment (212) 929-0630